Children's Home run by Platinum Services for Children (Residential Care) Ltd in Staffordshire

SC378187 Unique reference number 24 July 2009 Inspection date David Morgan Inspector Key Type of Inspection

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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You can obtain copies of The Children Act 2004, Every Child Matters and The National Minimum Standards for Children's Services from: The Stationery Office (TSO) PO Box 29, St Cripins, Duke Street, Norwich, NR3 1GN. Tel: 0870 600 5522. Online ordering: www.tso.co.uk/bookshop

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcome for children set out in the Children Act 2004 and relevant National Minimum Standards for the establishment.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is strong Good: this aspect of the provision is sound Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is not good enough Inadequate: 3 of 7 Inspection Report: SC378187

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Brief description of the service

The home is one of two children's homes located in a small cul-de-sac a short drive from the centre of town. It is registered to provide care for up to two children or young people aged from eight to under 18 years who have emotional or behavioural difficulties. The property is a four-bedroom, detached house that was built in 2008 and is in a suburban area with shops close-by and ready access to the countryside. Each child has their own good sized bedroom, one with en suite shower and toilet, and there are gardens at the front and rear.

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Brief description of the service

The young person currently resident contributed directly to this report.

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Summary

The overall quality rating has increased to satisfactory. Several areas of care are good, including, Enjoying and Achieving and Economic Wellbeing. An important consideration this time was the previous inadequate judgement. However, improvements have been made in various areas, including matters critical to young people's welfare, such as, staff training, policies and procedures and recruitment. Attention is still necessary to parts of the recruitment process and to the professional supervision of the manager, which are key to the proper development of the service. This visit was announced a few hours beforehand in order to ensure the manager was present and was a full inspection, considering all areas of care.

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Summary

Equality and diversity is addressed well, as are Enjoying and Achieving and Economic Wellbeing. The overall quality rating is satisfactory. This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

A key improvement is the new Statement of Purpose, although it does not yet fit into a development plan. This means that the manager and responsible individual have agreed on the ethos of the home and how this affects the care of children and young people. The safety and welfare of young people has been improved through a number of measures. These include better attention to medicine administration, to bedroom searches, placement planning and staff training. Staff training, including that of the manager, is ongoing. Appropriate supervision of the manager is not yet in place and this is an important shortfall for the development of the service.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Staff recruitment has also been reviewed but requires further attention to ensure appropriate safety standards are achieved. Young people are now protected by safety checks of all the vehicles staff use with them, including their own. Guidance to staff has been improved by a close audit of the policies and procedures, several of which have been amended. Standards of fire safety training have also been improved, which will be a benefit to both staff and young people in the event of a fire or other emergency.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. There is much good practice displayed regarding food and young people's meals. Young people are routinely involved in planning, shopping for and preparing their meals. Meals are sociable 4 of 7 Inspection Report: SC378187 occasions, taken at the table with staff, and provide opportunities for conversation. Any individual dietary requirements are taken into account whilst ensuring that the intake of young people is as balanced as possible. Young people are exposed to types of meals from other cultures, which also provide opportunities for discussions about race and tolerance. It is to the credit of all concerned that young people are now involved in growing vegetables in the garden.

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Helping children to be healthy

Other health needs are identified and addressed appropriately, with input from agencies such as mental health services when necessary. Of particular benefit though is work by key workers who are proactive in discussing health issues with young people in order that they can learn to look after themselves. Any medication is stored safely and the home now gets additional support from an external company to ensure that young people’s safety in this area is maintained.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Young people’s privacy is respected in a variety of ways, including the safe-keeping of their personal information and controlled access to their bedrooms. Staff are clear about the need to only go into bedrooms when necessary and under certain conditions. Each young person also has their own bathing facilities, separate from staffs. If young people have a concern about anything, they understand how to address it. In other areas too, staff follow appropriate procedures to maintain and promote the welfare of young people. Notifications are made to the relevant professionals as they arise, such as any absconding, although such incidents are currently infrequent. The effectiveness of staff in this area is a substantial contribution to young people’s safety. Young people do not suffer from bullying and the policy is up-to-date in most regards. Attention is required to how the home helps the perpetrators of any bullying

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

so they can learn to avoid such behaviour.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff help young people to develop socially acceptable behaviour by encouraging positive behaviour. Staff record and reward the positive behaviours of young people and this is an important way of encouraging it. Any inappropriate behaviour is also addressed clearly and with relevance to the actual shortfall, wherever possible. For example, helping to fix any damage they have caused. This too is good practice.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Satisfactory measures are in place to protect young people and staff from fire. There have been some significant improvements in staff training during fire drills and in the understanding of the seriousness of fire safety. The safety of young people is also assured by reasonable recruitment checks that have been subject to recent improvements. However, checks with previous social care employers are not undertaken on staff who have left positions working with vulnerable adults and this poses a potential risk to young people.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Individual support is always available and is of a good standard. There is close attention to the needs of young people and plans are adapted to reflect their changing needs, for example, for greater independence. Access to other services, such as an advocacy service, is arranged if it is needed. Similarly, education is given a high priority. This helps to ensure that each young person makes as much progress as possible. Currently, young people are enthusiastically planning their summer holidays with staff. They also have access to a range of regular leisure activities, with support from staff regarding costs, travel and any supervision that may be required. 5 of 7 Inspection Report: SC378187

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Young people have their needs assessed and reviewed, and written placement plans outline reasonably well how their needs, such as family contact, will be met. There have been various improvements to placement plans since last time but there remain a small number of inadequacies. For example, there are shortfalls in using appropriate target-dates, and insufficient monitoring, for example, of identified risks. There is also insufficient information on individual files about the most effective behaviour management plan for each young person. This means that, potentially, insufficient progress is being made on young people’s welfare issues.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are helped by staff to make decisions about their lives and to influence the way the home is run every day. Decisions about their futures, for example, are made with their involvement and plans are made accordingly. There are good systems in place to obtain young people’s views and to support them with personal matters, for example, via effective relationships with staff and with personal advocates.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is good. Young people receive good care that helps them to prepare for adulthood. They have routine opportunities to learn relevant skills, such as social skills and budgeting, and progress is overseen well by staff. Independence programmes are used and issues relevant to each individual are addressed. The property itself is conducive to independence training as it provides plenty of space and is generally well presented. The home is clean and airy and each young person has more than enough personal space in their bedrooms. A programme of improvements and maintenance is in place.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The promotion of equality and diversity is good. There has been significant progress made on this area, in particular to the efforts being made by staff to raise awareness of issues regarding diversity; this applies to staff themselves as well as to young people. Relevant information has been accumulated and stored and there is a clear system in place to raise matters regarding race and culture, for example, with young people. Issues of equality particularly relate to young people's social opportunities and behavioural issues, and these are addressed appropriately with individual young people.

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Organisation

The manager and responsible individual have revisited and substantially amended the Statement of Purpose, which is now available for any new admissions. This reflects more accurately the current philosophy of the home and the direction in which the responsible individual and manager wish it to go. However, it does not benefit from fitting into an overall development plan for the service. The Statement of Purpose has a direct bearing on the staff team, who are themselves supported and supervised appropriately. The manager, on the other hand, although she receives regular supervision, does not receive it from someone with the correct professional knowledge and background. This is critical to the development of the home, the service as a whole, and the welfare of young people. Much progress has been made with staff training and this is managed effectively with a clear method of keeping all staff up-to-date and also of

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Organisation

developing their skills. 6 of 7 Inspection Report: SC378187 The care of young people accommodated in the home is monitored regularly by the manager and the responsible individual. There is a clearly recorded system operating that covers the required issues. This provides the framework for the smooth-running of the home and has been improved since last time. In turn, this has a direct impact on outcomes for young people and is reflected well in their individual files.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions, which must be taken so that the registered person meets the Care Standards Act 2000, The Childrens Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The Registered Provider must comply with the given timescales.

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Due date Action Standard

28 August 2009 ensure there is full and satisfactory information in relation to any applicant, with regard to previous employment with children or vulnerable adults (Regulation 26(3)(d), Schedule 2(4)) 28 August 2009 ensure that the placement plan for each child sets out how their welfare will be safeguarded, with respect to identified risks and behaviour management (Regulation 12(1)(a)) 28 August 2009 ensure that all persons employed receive appropriate supervision, with regard to the professional supervision of the registered person (Regulation 27(4)(a)).

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure there is a policy on countering bullying which addresses, for example, children who may bully others (NMS 18.2 and 18.4) • ensure there is a written development plan for the future of the home (NMS 33.5). 7 of 7 Inspection Report: SC378187

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